The Monochronus Chronicles
by Redwake
Summary: The rediscovered continent of Monochronus has become a land of new beginnings and second chances for many across the world. But as four curious souls work to make this land into a new home, this place's long-lost history may uncover more than they are were bargaining for. This story is set in an original homebrew setting of the author's creation.


**Author's Note:**

**Before the story begins, it should be pointed out that this world is based on a homebrew setting of my own creation. As such, there are a number of notable changes to racial origins, racial subtypes, and languages.**

**If this is not the kind of world you wish to read about, then feel free to seek out other stories. But if you intend to continue, then know that these changes have all been made for very specific reasons.**

**With that out of the way, we can begin.**

_Monochronus: A land that, up until the past twenty years or so, had been left abandoned by its former inhabitants. For nearly five centuries, the continent received no visitors, not even from those who knew of its existence through the few historical records that had either been recovered from the wreckage of ships fleeing the continent's shores, or from the families of those who claimed they had ties to the place in some way._

_Even after historians, explorers, and researchers from all across the world set out in search of the now-lengendary land, equipped with the most sophisticated tools and magics of the age, none could find the place. But that all changed when it was finally rediscovered by the Crimson Courser, a Dwarven merchant vessel on its return trip to Malach's Forge that sought refuge during a bad storm._

_Of course, that was twenty years ago. Much has changed since the world learned the whereabouts of Monochronus. With many ships carrying settlers, ranging from intrepid explorers and historians to those of the not-so-trustworthy variety, many port towns and even a handful of cities have sprung up to accommodate the new arrivals._

_Our story, however, begins on the Easternmost edge of the region known as the Western Highlands, in the town of Kaldenhal. Supplied by neighboring farming villages and the merchant caravans from Monochronus' new capital of Gran Gildan, the town has earned a reputation with both civilian and mercenaries as a place of new opportunities, and a chance a new life._

Bright sunlight pierced through Kalthrynix's closed eyes, pulling him out of his sleep. He could hear the faint rustling of cloth, clanking of armor, of men and women talking to one another.

"Time ta wake up, son," a voice said above him. Kalthrynix opened his eyes, blinking a time or two to allow them to adjust. Standing next to his bed was a dwarf, wearing a set of chainmail armor, a sword sheathed on his belt. His hair was brown, peppered with gray, as was his neatly braided beard.

Kalthrynix groaned, sitting up in his bed. He raised a scaled hand to his face, rubbing his eyelids carefully with his fingertips.

"Morn', Galton," he said, his voice leaving as a hoarse mumble.

"Aye, mornin' ta you, too, Ebonscale. No pillow speared on those horns of yours this time, I see," Galton said, tapping a gloved finger on the tip of one of Kalthrynix's horns with a chuckle.

"For once..." Kalthrynix muttered. He stood up from his bed, rising to his full height.

Being a dragonborn, Kalthrynix was taller than most humans at around six and a half feet. Unlike most dragonborn, however, he was much thinner than most of his kind. His scales were clean, and shone in the light of the morning sun, and his claws were neatly trimmed, filed, and buffed to a dul shine. His silver eyes scanned the room, from one guardsman to the next as they prepared for the day.

Kalthrynix looked down, focusing on his horns. The horns alone marked him as a Broodkin Dragonborn, one born of a dragon and humanoid parent. His tail, too, gave away his heritage. Adjusting to the beds in the guard barracks had been tough. More than one pillow had been lost to his horns, as Galton joked.

Kalthrynix stretched, turning to the dwarf as he did.

"Any of the other recruits about?" he asked. Galton shrugged.

"Hells if I know. You're normally the first ta be up and at 'em, but today..." Galton shook his head. Kalthrynix sighed, finishing his stretching. He walked around to the foot of his bed and opened his trunk.

"You didn't have to wake me, Galton. But it was appreciated," he said, pulling a neatly folded set of scale mail from his trunk and laying it out on the bed Galton waved his hand dismissively.

"Ach, don't mention it, son. I imagined that ye would have wanted to get yerself some breakfast at the Spire before headin' ta the guildhall," Galton said. Kalthrynix nodded. Galton had been a member of the Kaldenhal guards long before Kalthrynix had made his way to Monochronus. From what he had gathered, the old dwarf had been a part of the first wave of new immigrants to Monochronus, looking to spend the rest of his life exploring and adventuring. Then he met himself a dwarven woman, got married, and decided being a guard would do well enough for him.

Kalthrynix pulled on his armor. While most of the guild recruits wore the armor offered to them as part of their training and assessment, he had opted to stick to his old military armor, though agreed to have the guild's insignia (a crossed sword and pickaxe with a torch running vertical between them) patched onto the shoulder.

Kalthrynix stared down at this patch now. The Delvers were well-established, and had become known for their work in this region. While he knew only a little about them, he felt as if there was little to worry about. They recruited any and all of the civilized races, and only accepted the best into their ranks as Initiates.

'From one army to another it seems,' Kalthrynix thought. Galton clapped his hands together.

"Well then, I'd best be off. The sooner I finish me rounds, the better," the dwarf said. Kalthrynix nodded.

"Good luck," he said. Galton gave the dragonborn a two-finger salute and walked away, humming to himself. Kalthrynix sighed.

"Awfully cheery for a dwarf..." he muttered.

Kalthrynix finished preparing himself and stepped out into the streets of Kaldenhal, dressed in his polished scale mail, a sword sheathed on his belt, and a large heavy wooden shield on his back strapped over his pack. He adjusted the straps for his pack. He was used to carrying only what was needed for a march, rather than the adventuring packs most Delvers wore. Despite spending two months moving from one settlement to another wearing this exact kit, he still felt as if he was being held back.

'Quit your complaining, Ebonscale,' Kalthrynix thought, starting forward, one hand moving to drape itself over the pommel of his sword. He'd been through much worse. If he was going to complain about anything, let it be about the lack of discipline some of his fellow recruits had. Most seemed to be into guild work strictly for the money and the potential for fame, at least judging by the number of low-ranking adventurers that had attempted to bully Kalthrynix around. Of course, all it took was a glare, or a snarl at worst, to run them off, something to be expected of lowly mercenaries.

As he rounded the corner, Kalthrynix was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of laughter.

"C'mon, girly, what ya gonna do?" a man voice. Kalthrynix slowed his walk until he came to a stop next to an alleyway. As he leaned against the wall, a young woman's voice could be heard.

"Please just let me go...I don't want to-"

"'Pwease let me go, mista!' What a little baby!" another man's voice said. Kelthrynix sighed. Along with adventurers had come thugs, looking to make easy coin preying on the weak. Refusing to allow the abuse to continue, Kalthrynix stepped into the alleyway.

"I'm not a baby, sir...I'm an adult, if you can believe it..." the woman said. Almost completely blocking her from view were two men, both wearing worn and dirty linen clothes. One had his arms folded across his chest, the other poking a short hooded form, who Kalthrynix assumed to be their victim, on the head.

"Aw, is the wittle girl gonna cry? Ya know, I could give you somethin' to cry about," one of the men said, leaning down towards the woman, his voice lowering itself into a low threatening tone.

Kalthrynix cleared his throat. As the two men spun around to face him, Kalthrynix saw the woman take a step back away from her abusers. She clutched her quarter staff to her chest in both hands, her head down. Her hood kept her face out of sight.

"What you want, dragonman? You want some of this? Eh?" one of the men said, raising his fist at the unimpressed dragonborn.

"I'm going to tell you this once, gentlemen: Leave the woman alone, or I will ensure neither of you sees daylight for a week."

The two men began to laugh, one leaning on the other.

"You hear that, Fed? He's gonna beat us up!"

"Ooh, we're soo afraid! Whatever will we do?" The two continued to laugh. Kalthrynix sighed. He bared his teeth, a deep growl coming from deep in his throat. A trickle of acid dripped from his fangs, landing on the cobblestone and hissing as it began to eat away at it.

One of the men stopped laughing, suddenly staring nervously at the dragonborn's maw.

"Um...Hugh...I think we oughta do as he says, yeah...?" he hissed. The other man snorted.

"I'm not afraid of some overgrown lizard!" he snarled. He started toward Kalthrynix, his hands balling into fists. As he approached, Kalthrynix's eyes narrowed as the thug brought back his arm, winding up for a swing. Rolling his eyes, Kalthrynix stepped to the side, and, rather than hitting scaly skin, hit solid stone. The sound of bones breaking upon impact was enough to make the would-be assailant's companion cringe. Screaming, the man grabbed his hand, cradling it and the two broken fingers he now had, bent at odd angles and bleeding from the abrasions on his knuckles.

Kalthrynix leaned over the man, drawing himself up to his full height as he did.

"If I were you, I would get as far away from this 'overgrown lizard' as I could," he said, his voice a low rumble, ensuring that his teeth remained perfectly visible.

The two men darted together past Kalthrynix and out of the alleyway, the one with broken fingers whimpering as he went. Shaking his head, Kalthrynix turned to the woman, taking a less threatening posture.

"Are you alright, miss?" he asked. The woman nodded her head beneath her hood. Now that he had a chance to properly look at her, she was, in fact, short. While taller than a dwarf, she barely came up to Kalthrynix's elbows. She wore a set of dark blue robes that seemed too big for her. On her side, hanging from a simple leather belt, was a book pouch, made of patched leather and decorated with a cluster of neatly arranged feathers.

"I'm f-fine...thank you..." she stammered, giving the dragonborn a quick bow. Kalthrynix nodded.

"Good. If I might suggest something?" he said. The woman clutched the quarterstaff tighter in her hands, which, oddly, remained hidden within her sleeves.

"Y-yes...?"

"That quarterstaff? Use it. The knees are a good place to start, then a jab to the gut to keep them reeling," Kalthrynix said. The woman nodded quickly.

"Yes...um...i-if you don't mind, I should be going. I'm already late for breakfast..." she said, sighing. Kalthrynix's head tilted slightly to the side.

"If you are going to the Spire, I could walk with you. I'm heading that way myself," he said. The woman's head moved up and down, as if looking him over.

"It would be appreciated..." she said quietly. Kalthrynix nodded, stepping out of the alleyway and off to the side to allow the woman to leave. As she approached the end of the alley, Kalthrynix heard the sound of something hard clacking against stone. Looking down, he caught the momentary gleam of light shining off of hard talons, similar to a bird's.

"Why wear such large robes when your feet give you away, kenku?" he asked. The woman sighed, tapping her staff against the ground. Reaching up, she pulled her hood down, revealing the head of a white house sparrow kenku. Her feathers were almost purely white, while her eyes were a bright pink color. She looked up at Kalthrynix, head tilting slightly to one side.

"Most people see a kenku and see a troublemaker, sadly," she said.

"And are you a troublemaker?" Kalthrynix asked. The kenku shook her head.

"No no! Or, at least I try not to cause trouble..." she said. She extended a clawed hand up to Kalthrynix. Notably, her talons were rounded off.

"Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Whizzy," the kenku said. Kalthrynix took her hand and shook it, raising an eyebrow. His hand practically engulfed the kenku's.

"'Whizzy'...? That's...unusual," he said. The kenku chirped happily.

"I wanted something unique. What better name is there than Whizzy?" she asked. Kalthrynix opened his mouth to answer her, but closed it. He knew little about the kenku race, other than that they were only found on this continent. If his bluntness was enough to be an insult to Whizzy, he wasn't willing to risk speaking further on the topic.

The two made small talk as they entered the center of town. Here, the bustling streets opened up into a large central market. Townsfolk of many races and ages walked from one stall to the next, looking over the various wares, carrying off their purchases, or bartering with the stall attendants. Merchants called out to people, enticing them with items, with bargains, or with honeyed words. A variety of scents drifted through the air: Freshly baked bread from a baker's stand, soot from a blacksmith's forge, treated wood from a carpenter's stall, and the sweet scent of candies from an older human woman's stand.

Kalthrynix took a deep breath, letting the scents fill his nostrils. It was a far cry from the sounds of Glynt's Hold, of metal being worked, drills being run, and of soldiers singing songs to keep their spirits up. A part of him missed it, but he found this moment to be more pleasant to the senses.

"Oh, I hope we aren't too late. I was supposed to have breakfast with a friend of mine before making our way to the guild hall," Whizzy said. At this, Kalthrynix looked down at the kenku, his brows furrowing.

"You're a Delver recruit?" he asked. Whizzy puffed out her chest proudly, displaying the Delver patch on her chest. Kalthrynix had somehow managed to miss it in their initial meeting.

"Yes I am! My friend and I applied when we first came to Kaldenhal, and we both were approved for initiation!" she said proudly. Kalthrynix closed his eyes, sighing as he brought his hand up to his face.

"I do hope you prove to be a better fighter than what I saw back there," he said. Whizzy tilted her head for a moment before her eyes fell on the patch on Kalthrynix's armor.

"Oh, you're a recruit, too! Um...I don't really fight. I work with magic more than I do with, ya know..."

Whizzy raised her quarterstaff up over her head and brought it down, the sound of something wet smashing open leaving her beak. Kalthrynix tapped his claws against the pommel of his sword.

"Even a mage would benefit from some combat training," he said.

"My instructor said the same thing. But then I accidentally broke her arm when she surprised me one day. And bruised her ribs...and nearly strangled her..." Whizzy said as they turned another corner. Kalthrynix turned slowly to look down at the kenku, eyes narrowing. Whizzy's feathers puffed up.

"Sh-she caught me off guard! I get jumpy when I get surprised..." she said, clutching her quarterstaff to her chest. Kalthrynix shook his head in disbelief before turning back to the street in front of them.

Before them was a large two-story building, a balcony wrapping all the way around the second floor. Beneath its many windows were various planters, each overflowing with flowers and long hanging greens. The building itself was painted a rich brown, with its roof layered in clay shingles. Already, a crowd of people was fighting to make its way into the building, with another crowd seemingly fighting its way out. Hanging above the front door was a large rounded square sign, bearing a shield emblazoned with a tower. Beneath it, on a separate plank of treated wood: The Shield & Spire Tavern.

"That is a lot of people..." Whizzy said. As they approached, Kalthrynix scanned the crowd. From his height, he could see through the open door, noting the crowded interior.

"And that is a lot of patrons," he muttered. Whizzy's shoulders slumped.

"Oh..._crackers_," she said dejectedly.

As the two watched the crowd, the sound of someone shouting rose over the din.

"Would you idiots move out of the way?! We have more recruits coming, and I don't need any of them being late for their initiation!" the voice said, a higher-pitched man's. The crowd quickly parted as a plump halfling man with unruly golden hair and stained clothes pushed his way through, a rolling pin in one hand. As people began to move in and out of the tavern, the halfling sighed, clearly having been dealing with this issue for a while.

"We should get in there before the crowd gets out of hand again," Kalthrynix said. Whizzy nodded. The two started for the door. As they approached, the halfling man looked up at them.

"More guild recruits, then?" he asked. Kalthrynix nodded.

"You seem to be having a lot of trouble this morning," he said. The halfling nodded, looking back at the crowd of people that was slowly beginning to disperse.

"Aye, that I have, though I wouldn't expect any less from Initiation Day. Still, I've never had one recruit arrive late to their Initiation, and I aim to keep it that way" he said, puffing out his chest. He reached out with his free hand.

"Name's Vildin Fairpot, by the way. I look after the tavern during the day," he said, his voice taking on a much warmer tone. Kalthrynix shook the halfling's hand carefully, his clawed hand closing around the halfling's.

"Kalthrynix Ebonscale."

"I'm Whizzy," Whizzy said, taking Vildin's hand and shaking it. Vildin nodded.

"Good to have you both. Now, I believe breakfast is what you are here for, yes?" he said, motioning towards the door as the crowd finally finished filtering in and out of the tavern. He started for the door, Kalthrynix and Whizzy following close behind.

Wander watched as the goliath sitting across from him inhaled her meal. She was currently gnawing at a pork bone, attempting to strip it of every bit of meat it had.

Wander could only grin. He couldn't blame her for the poor manners. The food was excellent, and he would have gladly gone at his food in the same fashion if he didn't know any better. He looked down at his half-eaten plate of eggs, sausages, cheese, and bread. A half cup of milk accompanied the food, as well as a bowl of fresh fruits that sat in the middle of the table.

'Reminds me of home,' Wander thought, smiling to himself as he cut into his eggs.

While tieflings weren't incredibly common in Kaldenhal (or even on Monochronus in general), most people had only given him curious glances out of the corner of their eye at best, and suspicious glares at worst. His skin was a rich brown-red, his eyes the color of molten gold. His thick, curly black hair was currently tied back into a ponytail, his bangs tucked behind his ears. His horns, two short stubs, rose from his forehead above the brows. His tail was currently wrapped loosely around his waist, out of the way of anyone that might be moving behind him.

Wander's clothing was, as he put it, "fashionably functional", consisting of a clean white shirt with frilled cuffs, a pair of black linen and leather pants, and a leather vest, each side of which had a number of pockets. Hanging from his two belts were a small handheld crossbow, with appropriate bolts inside of a leather box-pouch, a parrying dagger, and a finely-crafted rapier. The pommel of the rapier had a large round emerald set into it, an intricate tree etched into its surface, and a twisting series of rings, connected and layered with leaf-shaped metal pieces, made up the cup guard.

"So, devil man," the goliath said, tearing a chunk of bread loose from the loaf in her hand. Wander looked up at her, nodding.

"Yes, gray woman?" he asked. His voice was smooth, slightly accented. The goliath tore into her loaf of bread again, pointing at his clothing.

"Is that pretty outfit of yours going to protect you in a fight? Or are you hoping to impress your enemies to death?" she asked. Wander chuckled.

"While it may not look like much, I can assure you it can keep me alive. That's if they can even touch me," he said.

The sounds of footsteps behind him caught Wander's attention. Turning in his seat, he found Vildin leading a black dragonborn and white kenku towards the table. The dragonborn carried himself like a soldier: shoulders squared, back straight, head lifted. The kenku seemed more excitable. Her head turned in a new direction every few seconds, and her eyes were big and round as she took everything in.

"Alright, then, take your seats. Let's get those bellies full before you go off to gods know where, eh?" Vildin said. The dragonborn sat down next to the goliath, who immediately began to look him over, as if studying him. The kenku moved to sit next to Wander, hopping up onto her chair and leaning her staff against the table.

"Ah, more recruits I assume?" Wander asked, giving the dragonborn a broad smile. The dragonborn nodded, eyes scanning Wander's clothes.

"That getup is supposed to protect you?" he asked. The goliath chuckled, pointing her pork bone at Wander. Wander dismissed her laughter with a wave of his hand.

"Personal preferences aside, I prefer to move quickly. That means traveling light," he said. The dragonborn reached over and picked up an apple.

"A backstabber, then," he said bluntly, opening his jaws and dropping the apple into his mouth. With a wet crunch, he snapped his jaws shut, crushing the apple. The goliath woman cocked an eyebrow, nodding slightly at the display as if she were impressed.

"If that is what you call a silent problem solver, then, sure, a 'backstabber'. But, please, call me Wander," Wander said, reaching out with his hand. The dragonborn took it, his clawed fingers scraping against the back of Wander's hand.

"Kalthrynix. That's Whizzy," he said, nodding to the kenku, who was currently pecking away at a handful of berries. Wander nodded. The goliath raised her hand.

"Name's Krin, in case you were curious," she said, tearing into her loaf of bread again. Wander nodded to her.

"Well, it's good to know a few names at least. I'm sure we'll be getting to know one another fairly well once we start taking on work," he said. The kenku, Whizzy, looked around the room.

"Um...have either of you seen an elven woman? She's really tall, black hair, blue eyes...?" she asked. Wander shook his head.

"No, can't say I've seen her. Is she a friend of yours?" he asked. Whizzy nodded.

"She was the one who talked me into becoming a recruit. She was supposed to be here already..." she said. Wander turned to gaze around the room.

The Shield & Spire was the only tavern in Kaldenhal. Being named after the guild hall's central tower, it was also one of the town's biggest historic attractions. The walls were adorned with various paintings of the surrounding landscapes, of the town itself, and of the town's council building. The fireplace was unlit today, due to the warm temperature and the presence of many patrons, while the windows lit the room with morning sunlight. The scents of cooking meat, baking bread, and ale all wafted through the air, and the sounds of patrons talking, laughing, and howling with laughter lent the place a sense of life.

Wander's eyes scanned the crowded room. While he didn't seen any tall dark-haired elves, he did notice a half-elf on the other side of the room, downing a tankard of drink with a dwarf.

"Unless your friend has the gut of an orc, I'm afraid I don't see her," Wander said, turning back to Whizzy. The kenku seemed down.

"Well...I'm sure she'll show. I know she will," Whizzy said. As Wander opened his mouth to ask her a question, Vildin returned to the table, balancing two large plates of food in his hands.

"Here you are! Nice and pipin' hot! Now eat up," he said, setting the plates down in front of Kalthrynix and Whizzy. Whizzy's expression became less saddened as her eyes passed over everything on her plate.

"Thank you," Kalthrynix said. Whizzy nodded, picking up her fork.

"Yes, thank you! I never get to eat this well," she said. Vildin gave them a grin before nodding and heading back to the front of the tavern.

Close to the front of the tavern, a small black form poked its head out from its hiding place under one of the tables.

Eyes scanning the room, or at least what it could make out from such a low position, the chipmunk tapped its paws against the wooden floor. If it was going to reach the other side of the room without being stepped on, it would need to move quickly, and carefully.

With a quiet squeak, it darted out of hiding, sliding to a halt under a chair. Its occupant, a dwarf, kicked their legs idly, and the chipmunk ducked away, scampering along between the feet of the table's next occupant, a very beefy human man.

As it peered out from underneath the table, the chipmunk spotted the tavern keeper heading back towards the front. Now having a better idea as to where it's target was, the chipmunk ran from one hiding spot to another, eventually finding itself just across the way from it's destination. Looking up at the robed Kenku sitting at the table, the chipmunk chattered excitedly, and darted up the back of the chair.

Whizzy was savoring the potatoes she was eating when something clawed its way up her chair and onto her shoulder, catching her off guard. With a squawk, her head whipped around to look down at the chipmunk that now squeaked excitedly up at Whizzy.

"Friend of yours?" Kalthrynix asked. Whizzy sighed, recomposing herself as she scooped the chipmunk off of her shoulder and set it down in an empty chair at the end of the table.

"Yes, but she's not exactly great company when she's all _furry_," Whizzy said, shooting a look at the chipmunk. With a squeak, the chipmunk began to quickly grow in size, it's fur and tail disappearing, bones shifting and cracking as they grew. Within a handful of seconds, a slender elven woman sat where the chipmunk had before. Her black hair was tied back into a messy bun, and she had large gray-blue eyes. She wore leather pants, a cloth shirt, and a cloak made of wolf hides. Strapped to her back was a spear, the head of which was made of flint, and hanging from a loop of leather on her belt was a dagger, also made of flint.

"What can I say? I prefer to see things as the little ones do," she said, giving Whizzy a smile. Despite just having her breakfast interrupted by her friend's stunt, she couldn't stay upset. She returned the smile. The elf turned to the rest of the table.

"Didn't ruin anyone else's breakfast, did I?" she asked, smiling as she reached across the table and picked up an apple.

Kalthrynix's eyes narrowed. He was beginning to wonder just how many other unusual sights he would see today.

With breakfast filling their bellies and with the tavernkeeper's calls for good luck following them out, the Delver recruits left the tavern behind, making their way into the hustle and bustle of Kaldenhall.

Evelyne watched and listened, amused, as her Kenku friend excitedly recounted her run-in with two drunkards in an alley, followed by the dragonborn's timely intervention.

"And then one of them just _-crack-_, fist right into the wall! Then Kalthrynix scared them off! It was so cool!" the kenku said, her eyes sparkling as she finished her recounting of the tale.

"That is quite the story. You would be fortunate to have him as a member of your party," Evelyne said, glancing over at Kalthrynix. The dragonborn carried himself like a soldier, unlike the rest of the recruits around him. Evelyne noticed some of the looks he garnered. Most were curious glances. Others were looks of suspicion.

"Well...sure, I guess I would. But I know you better than I know him," Whizzy said, looking up at Evelyne with her big pink eyes. Evelyne gave her friend an encouraging smile as she placed her hand on the kenku's shoulder.

"I am certain that, even if you and I were to find ourselves in different groups, you would make fast friends out of all of them," she said. Whizzy smiled, but the look she gave Evelyne still held doubt.

Wander hummed to himself as he flowed with the procession to the guild hall, his ears perking up at the various conversations his fellow recruits were engaged in. While he had had his doubts about joining up with the Delvers in the beginning, he was glad to see that not everyone in his position was simply in it for the fame and glory.

"Right then, devil man," the goliath, Krin, said, dropping her arm heavily around Wander's shoulders, staggering him. "What sorta group're you hopin' to fall in with?" Wander looked over at Krin's massive hand, one brow arched.

"I would hope that I find myself in good company, for starters. Would you mind moving the arm?" he said. Krin chuckled good-naturedly and let Wander go. Wander smoothed out his clothing as best he could.

"Thank you. But to further answer your question, I'm not so sure," he said. Krin folded her arm over her broad chest.

"Strongest of the strong. That's my hope. I'm not spendin' the rest of my time here takin' arrows and blades for some mage what can't fend for themselves, y'know?" Wander shrugged his shoulders.

"I certainly can't disprove your logic, but it takes more than pure brawn to best a clever enemy." With a laugh, Krin slugged Wander on the shoulder.

"Bah! Then you've never seen a goliath rise to a good challenge! Nothin' stops one of us when we've a goal in mind!" she said. Wander smoothed out his clothes again as Krin quickened her pace.

"I pray to whatever gods are listening right now that I do _not_ find myself in her party," he grumbled.

Looming over the approaching mass of recruits, the Hall of Delvers looked less like a guildhall and more like a small fort. Its large stone walls towered over the rest of Kaldenhall's buildings, patrolled by Delver guildsmen. A few guards peered down over the ramparts, curious of the new arrivals.

Kalthrynix's eyes took in every detail, comparing them to the fortifications often found in his own land.

"More for show than anything else. Typical," he muttered to himself. Ever since arriving on Monochronus, he had seen more buildings designed for fashion rather than function. Even now, after having been on the continent for six months or so, he was still trying to adjust to the differences between his land and this one.

Kalthrynix's eyes fell on the two matching banners draped over the wall on either side of the guild's massive door. The sword, pick, and torch emblem was more elaborate and detailed here than the emblem on the Delver patch, he noticed, looking down at his own. The patch occupied the very spot that would have bore the symbol of his order.

Would have, Kalthrynix thought. He squared his shoulders and held his head high as the doors to the guild hall opened.

Whizzy's eyes widened as she passed through the doorway into the Hall of Delvers. A high arching ceiling, support beams adorned with banners of the Delvers and of Kaldenhall, was the first thing Whizzy saw. A large wood and metal chandelier, bearing a dozen torches burning with a magical white light, hung from the largest beam, right in the middle of the entrance hall.

Looking around, the kenku was dismayed to find herself too short to see over the crowd that was piling in around her.

Evelyne, noticing Whizzy's conundrum, tapped her on the shoulder.

"Would you like a lift up?" she asked. Whizzy nodded her head excitedly. The elf stooped down and effortlessly picked up her friend, setting her down on her shoulders.

From her new vantage point, Whizzy could now see the hall in its entirety. Six large support pillars rose up in the air along the central path into the hall. The floor was mainly smooth stone slabs, with some bearing a variety of carvings. Whizzy's eyes fell on one such symbol, recognizing it as a warding rune.

"This is amazing!" she said, looking down at Evelyne. If a kenku could smile, she would be. She returned to the room around her, noting the number of banners, paintings, and carvings that adorned the stone walls. The banners bore a variety of emblems, none of which Whizzy could recognize. But the paintings, she noted, looked to be of Monochronus. Rolling hills, thick forest, and seas of grass made up most of them, with a couple of paintings having a mountain range as their subject. From what she could remember, Whizzy guessed that these paintings were of the Western Highlands.

Whizzy's eyes went from the paintings to the carvings. Each individual block was etched with some sort of message. While she couldn't quite make out most of them, Whizzy did notice one or two that were distinctly in Avian, due to the scratch-like nature of the language's alphabet.

"Whizzy, dear? Have you gotten your fill of the room? My shoulders are getting just a little tired," Evelyne said. Whizzy nodded, not wanting to further tire her friend. She would have more than enough time later to further investigate the hall's wonders.

Kalthrynix, like Whizzy, was equally intrigued by the diversity of the banners, of the wall carvings, and of the paintings around him. His eyes eventually fell on one of the banners.

The banner itself was white with a gold and silver braided cord motif that ran along its edges. Emblazoned into the middle of the banner was a ten-pointed star, and set into the middle of the star was the unmistakable eye of a dragon. The symbol itself, Kalthrynix knew, was that of the Order of Mythronn.

Kalthrynix sighed heavily, turning away from the symbol of his former troop. He had known that the Order had become involved in this continent's exploration, but to think that the Delvers would display their banner?

Problems for another day, the dragonborn thought.

The crowd of recruits came to a stop about halfway into the hall. From his height, Kalthrynix could see that the group only occupied a third of the hall at best. Standing along the sides of the room were, Kalthrynix assumed, members of the Delvers, their guild patches displayed proudly on their armor and clothing.

"All recruits, please form lines along the sides of the hall's center! Shoulder to shoulder, now, move it!" Kalthrynix turned to watch as a grizzled human man with short-cut graying brown hair began instructing the recruits. Without hesitating, Kalthrynix moved into the nearest line and stood at attention between a half-elf woman and a gnomish man, both of whom turned to look up at the dragonborn's towering head.

"That's a big lizard," the gnome muttered, just loud enough for Kalthrynix to hear.

Kalthrynix fought the urge to glare at the gnome. It wouldn't help to make enemies so early.

The recruits slowly finished their positioning. On either side of the main hall were two columns of soon-to-be adventurers, standing (somewhat) shoulder to shoulder, five lines deep.

The brown-haired man, one of the guild's captains, shook his head. It seemed like, as the years went on, the recruits spent more and more time getting into position. Despite this, he did note the few individuals who had gotten into place almost immediately.

"Perhaps this batch isn't completely hopeless," he muttered to himself. He turned to one of the guild's messengers, a halfling woman, and nodded his head. She returned the nod and knocked twice on the large central doors that would lead further into the guild hall.

In response, a large half-orc man stepped forward and raised a horn to his lips.


End file.
